Matter of Perspective
by lifeofla-silverwolf
Summary: ONESHOT This was written as a part of Latvian Ice's oneshot challenge check up with our profile page for more information. The Brotherhood is forced to turn to the XMen when things go from bad to worse. Takes place after Uprising.


Dedicated to Silverwolf, Life-of-L.A., Latvian Ice, Scrawler, Lily Handle, Seta Kaede, maikafuiniel, teithilin, Morri, I Heart The Distillers, and everyone at XofEvolution.

* * *

**Matter of Perspective**  
  
Tabitha Smith wasn't the least bit concerned that she was returning at two in the night. She wasn't the least bit concerned that she had gotten into a few major fights during her time outside. The only thing she was concerned about at the moment was how long the lectures would be, and when the time would come for her efforts, no doubt continuous, in blowing the whole thing off would be fulfilled. If there was any one thing she'd name that really bothered her about living at the institute again was that Badger, a.k.a. Wolverine, was really annoying about these things.  
  
'Oh well, I'll pretend to listen for half an hour before I leave. Maybe they won't notice,' she shrugged. She had long since dismissed the thought of her late return being unnoticeable; not only did she have to disable the security systems to sneak in, she was living with a telepath. Check that, two telepaths. So really, it was pointless to try to sneak in. And so, she didn't bother with it. She went straight to the main gate, expecting to hear Logan's shouts and somewhat quieter words from the other three adults of the residence. What she did not expect was to see her friends approaching the gates.

* * *

"Wanda, try to hold it off as long as you can, all right? I'm going as fast as I can," Lance spoke without looking back, not taking the time to turn. The jeep speeded along the road, and had it been a more populated time, they were sure to have gotten in at least half a dozen accidents.  
  
"I'm trying!" Wanda snapped. But her voice was full of anxiety, rather than anger. "I'm not a healer," she sighed.  
  
"I know," Lance took a split second moment to glance at Fred through the rearview mirror. "Fred, I'm going to need you to keep an eye on them; Wanda's got her hands full."  
  
"Yeah, I've got it," Fred's voice was downcast and hardly resembled its usual tone, but his response was that of grim determination.  
  
Lance nodded. "We're almost there."  
  
"Lance? Fred? Wanda? What are you guys doing here?" Tabitha speeded up her footsteps to reach them as the jeep slowed down. "And Lance, are you drunk? You're driving rougher than I do. What are you guys doing, coming here at this ti... Pietro! Todd! What happened!"  
  
"Tabby?" Lance was momentarily taken aback, but did not falter. "We don't have time to explain it all right now; we need to get to Xavier."  
  
Tabitha nodded, a rare seriousness settling over her features, along with equally strong concern and grief. "I'll show you the quick way in," without waiting for a response, she quickly tossed a handful of bombs at the gates. "No time to let them interrogate us," she said as she got in the jeep, reaching maximum capacity.  
  
Lance nodded and the jeep roared to life again in a matter of seconds; it had never quite parked to begin with.

* * *

"Just what do you think you're doing, bub?" Logan's metal claws flashed out, gleaming in the darkness.  
  
The jeep barely slowed before halting in a hurried, abrupt brake.  
  
"Where's Xavier," Lance demanded as he got off the jeep.  
  
"You can talk to me; now explain what you're doing here at two in the night, as well as why Boom Boom there just blasted open our own gates after spending the night with you, I'm guessing," Logan growled.  
  
"I need Xavier, not you!" Lance shouted, the ground rumbling with him, as Tabitha got out of the jeep. Lance quickly stopped the unintentional action, steadying the jeep rapidly. Tabitha was followed by Wanda, who still had a blue aura around her hands. The moment she stepped out, and lost her focus on the aura, the overwhelmingly strong scent of blood hit Logan.  
  
"What the..."  
  
"What is the meaning of this?" Ororo stepped out, followed by the rest of the X-Men.  
  
Lance quickly looked around them until his eyes met the eyes of Charles Xavier. "I'll make this short. Pietro and Todd are down, and we need you to help us. Are you going to?"  
  
"What are you talking about Alvers-"  
  
Lance didn't give Scott the chance to finish. "This isn't about me and you, it's about them! Now shove it and get out of my way!" he snarled, the earth shuddering at his words.  
  
"Lance," at Tabitha's voice, the earth shaker quickly turned and took Pietro from Fred, with the help of Tabitha. Wanda had resumed her focus on her powers, concentrating fully and completely on using her powers on the two injured Brotherhood members, while Fred got out of the jeep, holding Todd in his arms.  
  
It was only then that the X-Men saw the blood.  
  
"Answer the question. Are you going to?" Lance's eyes were of an unnatural icy fire, and he stared at Charles, for the moment neither Lance Alvers nor Avalanche- just someone trying to help his friends, to save what little of a family he had. Trying to survive in something so much bigger than him, as was everyone else there was.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"You think your Porcupine and his little group's the only one that's been having trouble?" Lance shot back as he pulled Pietro up closer, the white-haired boy visibly hurt and unconscious, and his breathing labored. The pale blue aura around him faded slightly as Wanda concentrated on Todd for the moment. Lance continued as Tabitha stepped closer to help him with Pietro.  
  
"We've had worse. We're the horrible mutant scum Brotherhood; don't you remember? None of us have actually gotten hit before, that's all. At least not so badly that we couldn't take care of it."  
  
"Lance," Wanda turned, shifting Todd back into Fred's arms and looking at her twin now, taking the split second to remind their leader of control before concentrating on the task at hand once more.  
  
Lance sighed, nodding and giving her a quick apologetic look. He turned back to the X-Men. "Look, we don't have time for this. We know you don't owe us anything. But for once, just once, could you please just help?"  
  
"Of course they'll help," Tabitha cut in. "They will," she turned to the X-Men, eyes hard.  
  
"Tabitha, I know you're still friends with them and everything, but this is the Brotherhood we're talking about! They probably started the whole thing!" Scott stated.  
  
"Yeah, it's not like zey haven't gotten hurt pulling stunts before," Kurt agreed.  
  
"It's nothing new," Rogue spoke, but her eyes betrayed her concern. Next to her, Kitty found no way to express her thoughts, but mostly because she didn't know what she was feeling.  
  
And Jean was currently battling the overwhelming amount of emotion around her, emotions that bombarded her despite all her efforts to block everyone out.  
  
Tabitha's eyes darkened. "We're not so different, the Brotherhood and the X-Men. And even if the humans weren't the ones to start it; they're hurt! If you're saying you won't help, then I'm breaking into the med. lab on my own!" she shouted. "This isn't some play anymore! It's not a game! They've been shot! Pietro and Todd could be dying!"  
  
Even the Brotherhood was taken aback by the intensity of emotions in her voice, but for them, it was more because of its extremity, rather than its existence.  
  
"We will help. Tabitha is right; this is no longer a small matter. We will do all that is in our powers to help you, in any way we can," Charles's voice broke through the brief turmoil.  
  
"This way," Ororo stepped towards the doors, and with her powers, opened them for the Brotherhood. As Hank moved into help the Lance carry Pietro, Tabitha left things to them, moving next to Wanda and Fred. Wanda had droplets of sweat running their course down her face, and was visibly strained.  
  
"You can't keep it up any longer; you'll hurt yourself," Fred murmured quietly.  
  
"They're hurt," Wanda replied, the look in her eyes saying more than words could ever attempt. "I can do it," she breathed, but she was showing signs of faintness, and it was only Tabitha's arm that stopped her from faltering.  
  
Wanda turned in surprise as Tabitha put an arm around her shoulder, helping her keep her balance.  
  
"Don't want you to fall there, Scarlet," Tabitha attempted a weak grin, but there was too much worry on her face for it to bear any resemblance to her usual cheerfulness.  
  
Wanda just nodded once before turning her attention on Todd again.

* * *

"They'll be all right, they have to be, they have to be all right," Wanda paced restlessly, drawing circles in the small room.  
  
"They'll be okay," Fred mumbled, but even he needed convincing of his own words. He was sitting on a sofa, leaning heavily against the back of the couch and the wall. "They'll be okay," he repeated, but had hardly a change in feelings.  
  
"This is my fault," Lance had his head buried in his hands. "This is all my fault. If I had... if I hadn't..."  
  
"Guys, relax, it's going to be okay," Tabitha looked around at her friends. "Wanda, sit down, you're driving us crazy, pacing like that."  
  
"Lay off!" Wanda snapped. But she immediately gave the other girl a look of regret, an unspoken apology she somehow knew the other would understand.  
  
As Wanda sat down, she struggled to find something that would keep their mind off things.  
  
"Are you with them, or with us?" The words left her before she even knew what they were, but Wanda wasn't sorry she asked.  
  
"What do you mean?" Tabitha looked at her, knowing the answer already.  
  
"Before, you said, 'we're not so different, the Brotherhood and the X-Men.' Which do you belong to?" Wanda's blue eyes searched the other's hazel ones.  
  
Before Tabitha had a chance to speak, the door to the room opened, and the older X-Men filed in.  
  
Lance immediately looked up at that, getting up, his eyes finding their expected target.  
  
"What do you want, Summers? Come to gloat?"  
  
Scott flinched at that, but resorted to putting a hand behind his neck in a futile attempt to relieve some of the tension. "No, I..."  
  
"Do us all a favor and just leave us alone. Trust me, you're not going to be able to make us feel any worse than we're feeling right now, so you're wasting your time trying," Lance's eyes were colder than ice, and words could not describe the anger in them, nor the despair, hidden no longer, the intensity overwhelming his usual facades.  
  
Scott put his hands out in front of him, waving them hurriedly in gesture of refutation. "No. I came to apologize."  
  
"We came to apologize- all of us," Jean spoke.  
  
"Ve didn't know," Kurt explained.  
  
"About the whole getting sh... we thought that it wasn't serious," Rogue sighed. "How are they?"  
  
"We don't know yet," Lance replied darkly. "And we'd appreciate it if you'd all just stay out; you don't have to pretend you care."  
  
"But we do- we do care," Kitty broke out. "Lance, I'm so sorry."  
  
Lance nearly pushed away when the shorter brunette hugged him, but after a moment of hesitation, held her back, silent.  
  
"We really didn't know," Jean spoke, unusual nervousness lining his words.  
  
"We didn't even know y'all were havin' trouble with anti-mutant jerks," Rogue sat down on the second couch in the room, followed by the rest of the X-Men; with the exception of Kitty, who was still crying softly, holding on to Lance.  
  
"We were," Fred replied quietly, devoid of feeling, or rather, numb to it.  
  
Eyes narrowed, Wanda studied them. "Why do you care?"  
  
"Because... Ve just do."  
  
"...Fighting's not all we've been doing. We also got to know each other pretty well, even if we are on opposite sides almost all of the time," Scott looked at them.  
  
"We're more rivals than enemies, maybe," Rogue offered.  
  
"Maybe to you, but this has been serious for us from the beginning. We're not the ones living in a mansion, and we have bosses that don't take failure that well. We might have been less serious at first, but we've always known this would only get worse," Lance drew back from Kitty. "And it has," he turned away, and took a seat in the chair again, everything about him taking on a hardness, a different kind of sorrow, that rarely surfaced. "And this isn't the worst, not yet."

* * *

"How are they?" Wanda immediately got up as Logan stepped out of the room.  
  
"They're doing all right; could be better, but all right," Logan replied before heading out the room. "I'll be back- gotta check up on the kids," he stated. He highly doubted that anything would happen, but the skeptical cynic part of him told him to take measures to prevent it anyhow.  
  
With a sigh, Wanda sank back in to the couch, and didn't move as Tabitha put an arm around her.  
  
"I'm going for a walk," Lance mumbled as he got up, and without further explanation, headed for the door.  
  
"Lance-"  
  
"**Back off**!"  
  
Fred sighed and slumped back, looking at Wanda and Tabitha, worry visible as the door slammed shut.  
  
"One of us has to go after him, we can't just let him wander off like that, something might happen!" Wanda hissed.  
  
"I'll go- Pietro's going to need you, and Todd's going to need you," Tabitha got up, nodding at Wanda and Fred, but on the other side of the room, Scott had already gotten up.  
  
"Let me try."  
  
"You don't even know Lance," Tabitha glared.  
  
"He's not going to listen to you," Scott stated.  
  
"He's never gonna listen to you," Fred shot back.  
  
"No, let him try," both Fred and Tabitha turned to Wanda, but her expression was set, serious and grim. "It might work."  
  
"He doesn't even know about it!" Tabitha snapped. "We can't risk anything!"  
  
"Just let me try."  
  
After studying Scott for a moment, Fred spoke. "Fine...but if you do anything..."  
  
"You have all of us to answer to," Wanda finished, icy blue eyes hard.  
  
Nodding, Scott left the room, quickening his footsteps to catch up to the other eighteen year old.  
  
"I'm going after them," Tabitha started out.  
  
"Tabby-"  
  
Tabitha swerved around, facing her two friends.  
  
"I'm not going to trust him with Lance's life!"  
  
Wanda and Fred looked at each other as the teen left, only to turn again as another person stood up.  
  
"What... what did she mean?" Kitty stammered, and it was only then that they noticed that the X-Men were staring at them.  
  
Only Rogue, who had just realized the meaning behind it, had her eyes cast downwards and was staring at the floor in shock.  
  
"...She-she didn't mean..." Not getting an answer, eyes wide, Kitty ran out, desperation overtaking her.  
  
Fred looked at Wanda, and she sighed, uncharacteristically softly. She looked at Kurt and Jean; the only ones left that didn't know even a part of the story. She turned to the floor, putting her hands to her head, her arms propped up on her knees.  
  
"Lance is... Lance's been through a lot. We all have. Sometimes... it's too much."

* * *

"Why does this have to happen to me! Always! Every time I begin to have some vague sense of friends, some kind of family, you take it away from me! What did I ever do to you! What did I do! Is this some punishment, because if it is, it should have been me that got shot, not them! It should be me in there! What do you want from me! Why do you have to take everything away, just when I can finally bear it! Every single damn time!" Lance screamed. The moment he had left the room, he had started running. Not trusting himself to drive, and not wanting to hold himself back, he had simply run as fast as he could, until he found himself down by the beach side of the mansion. He had no clue how he got there, but he couldn't care less. Everything in him broke down then, and everything that he had buried away, deep enough to never be found, he had hoped, broke loose. And at this, Lance had resorted to screaming at the silent sea in a futile search for answers that he knew would not be found.  
"What the hell am I supposed to do! What do I have to do to actually have a decent life for once! I'm not asking for a lot here! I don't even care about being normal anymore! I gave that up a long time ago! I don't care! I just want to have something! Just one thing! I can't be with the person I love; I can't have a family; at least let me have my friends! **Why wasn't it me! IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME**!"  
  
Sinking to his knees, Lance didn't even feel the hot tears running down his face as he sobbed in hopelessness.

* * *

Scott Summers really had no idea what to expect. He didn't even know why he was doing this; Tabitha was right, he knew next to nothing about Lance. They didn't even like each other. But something inside him had told him to go, and he had followed it instinctively without even realizing it. He had no idea where Lance had gone, but after checking around the grounds, he noticed footsteps going down- towards the beach that he, Tabitha, and Amara had passed through the day the existence of mutants was broadcasted. Walking after it, he quickened his steps at seeing a sole figure amidst the sand...  
  
"Alvers?"  
  
It couldn't be... it could not possibly be him.  
  
But it was. And Scott saw the one thing that he could not, in his wildest dreams, ever even thought of seeing. Lance Alvers, Avalanche, the leader of the Brotherhood and the one person that Scott thought would never do this... Lance was crying.  
  
Stunned, Scott found himself glued to the spot, standing there, a few feet away from Lance, sand and water all around them, with the exception of the rocky cliff to one side.  
  
After what seemed to be forever, Scott found himself moving, though he wasn't quite sure how. His body seemed to be acting of its own will, and Scott had no control over himself as he walked towards Lance.  
  
"...Alvers?"

* * *

Lance froze at the sound of the voice. He hadn't even heard the other walk up. Instantly, he stood up, stepping back and away from Scott.  
  
"What the hell do you want, Summers? Are you really so pathetic that you think you can have a little fun out of this?" he snarled, taking on a defensive stance, the earth shaking a little.  
  
"N-no, I didn't mean- I'm sorry. We really didn't know. I wouldn't have said that if-"  
  
"I don't need your fake apologies, just stay away from me," turning, Lance started off, only to be held back as Scott grabbed him by the arm.  
  
"Alvers, wait-"  
  
"**WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME**!" Lance ripped away from the grip. "Two of my only five friends and the closest thing I have to a family are dying, and it's all because of me! Isn't that enough for you! You were right; I'm just a hood that won't amount to anything, and I got my friends killed. You were right- you and every other person in this damn world! I admit it! I'm just a screw up! A screw up that destroys every single good thing that ever happens around me, and that's all I'll ever be! There, I said it! **What more do you want from me! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME**!"  
  
The ground beneath them trembled at his words, and turning, Lance stalked towards the water, not stopping as he reached it, its coldness lost to him.  
  
"It should've been me... It should've been me! I'm the one that's supposed to be in there, I'm the one that's supposed to be shot! It should've been me! Not them! It was supposed to be me!"  
  
He was a little over knee-deep now, but the water felt strangely sluggish around him, and it felt like he was walking through molasses. It was only then that Scott managed to snap out of the shock. He didn't know what, and he didn't understand why, but something inside him was screaming at him to stop Lance. Running into the water, he grabbed Lance again, this time pulling him back.  
  
"Lance, don't do this! Get back here!"  
  
"You don't get it!" Lance swerved around, unexpectedly landing a punch on the side of Scott's face, making the other teen fall back. Scott caught himself, putting his arms behind him just before he met the ground. Staring up at Lance, he was shocked once more to see the tears that were falling down the side of the brunette's face again.  
  
"It should have been me! **It was supposed to be me! I was the one that was supposed to be shot! IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME**!"  
  
"Don't say that! You don't have to take responsibility for everything that happened! You can't do that to yourself! It wasn't your fault, Lance, stop blaming yourself!"  
  
The words came out before Scott even knew what he was saying, but the moment he realized what he had said, he realized what exactly it was that made Lance and himself such fierce adversaries. Both, in their own ways, were completely devoted to their teams, and even though both had at times, made mistakes, they were absolutely loyal to their teams- their friends, family even. And they both took their roles as leader to the farthest, and felt that they were the ones at fault when something went wrong. They had similarities; they had simply never seen it... and when they had seen it, they had denied it.  
  
"You don't get it! How could you- you've never had a life like mine, a life like ours! You don't know what it's like! To live every single day in fear, to live each day not knowing if you'll make it to the next. To never know what's going to happen to you, what people are planning to do to you, what they're going to use you for. To never be able to have a family, or friends. To have your worst reality thrown in your face by the person you love. You don't get it," Lance snarled, voice almost breaking but at the same time furious. And hopeless. Dejected, he turned. "So you had your little separation with your brother. Don't even think of making that as an excuse to know what I've been through, what any of us has been through. You're back together, and everyone's happy, all of you with your perfect little lives, never seeing beyond that. You don't have to deal with what Pietro does, or Wanda, or Todd, or Fred, or Tabby, or me! You don't have a clue!" Drawing in harsh, sharp breaths of air, Lance stopped short, vision blurred but not moving. "And you couldn't possibly understand that when I made the decision to confront them, I got Pietro and Todd shot. I should have protected them! It should have been me! **IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME**!"  
  
Scott stared at the person he had thought he knew for so long, unable to believe all that he had just heard. Lance was shaking now, in a mixture of anger and desolation.  
  
Slowly, Scott got up, swallowing before speaking.  
  
"You're right. I can't understand everything. And I won't claim that I do when I don't. But I do know that you can't take responsibility for everything that happens to you- somethings are beyond control. And I know that no one else blames you, and you shouldn't either. Wanda, Fred, and Tabitha are inside, and if you for one second think that they do, I have to say, you don't know your team- your friends, as well as you think you do. Do you think that any of them, or Pietro and Todd, wants you to do something like this? This isn't going to solve anything, and it's not going to help Pietro and Todd. None of this is your fault. Don't do this."

* * *

"Screw this!"  
  
Tabitha slammed her fists down onto the nearest tree trunk. "I can't find him! Where is he?!"  
  
Exasperated, Tabitha turned, letting herself lean against the tree.  
  
Emotions overwhelmed her at last, and what little of her usual cheerfulness dissolved into tears.  
  
"Why'd you have to run off, Lance you idiot?! You think you're the only one that can't handle this? You think you're the only one that feels guilty? I abandoned you! Don't you think I feel just as bad?! Do you think I haven't thought of killing myself too?! All of us have thought about it before, don't you know that?! I can't be happy all the time, but at least I can pretend!"  
  
Tears falling unhindered, Tabitha slid down the tree, collapsing onto the dirt ground.  
  
"Please... I just want everything to be all right."

* * *

Kitty didn't let anything slow her down, phasing past all obstacles in her way as she ran out after Tabitha, thinking that the other girl, if not Scott, would be able to find Lance. She had to stop however, when she came upon a completely unexpected scene.  
  
"Tabitha? Are you okay?"  
  
Uncertainly, but not hesitating, Kitty kneeled down next to the sobbing girl, wrapping an arm around her.  
  
"No, I'm not okay! Do I look okay?!"  
  
"Tabitha..."  
  
Tabitha shook her head, pushing the other girl away. "Just leave me alone! Find Lance."  
  
A brief conflict played out in Kitty's mind, but instinct told her to stay, and after a moment of hesitation, she followed it. "No," Kitty sat down next to her. "I want to help you."  
  
"I don't need help," Tabitha stated as she jerked free, getting up. "I'm fine, see?" she attempted to grin, but the pretense had long since given away, and she failed, managing only a grimace.  
  
"Tabby, please, just talk to me! I know we're not that close, but I'm your friend!"  
  
"I don't get to have friends!"  
  
Startled at the outburst, Kitty stared, and for the first time, she saw someone else, the person behind the carefree mask. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I don't know!" Frustrated, Tabitha turned back to face the other. "People like me don't get to have friends! At least, we shouldn't! At least that way, we won't hurt anyone! And we won't have to worry about feelings, or any of that stuff!"  
  
"Tabitha?"  
  
"I just left them! I didn't even think about it, I just left! Just like I left you before! But I couldn't go back, like I came back here. I didn't care if I didn't get to stay here, it was just luck. If this didn't work, I was fine with leaving Bayville for good! But I did get to stay. The only thing I don't get is why I couldn't leave, to go back! I leave everyone and everything all the time; I should be able to do it! I should have gone back, and stayed there like the first time! I don't care if they don't want me there; I didn't before, why should I now? It shouldn't matter to me- they got used to me anyhow. It shouldn't matter if they want me back or not! Since when do I care what people think anyhow? I don't! I don't understand why I was so afraid of going back!"  
  
Sighing, Tabitha stopped the rant, turning away. After a moment of silence, calming herself down, Tabitha sighed again.  
  
"Sorry Kitty-Cat. I didn't mean to blow up on you. Just forget it, we have to find Lance."  
  
"...Maybe you were afraid of being rejected."  
  
Tabitha glanced back at that. "What?"  
  
"Maybe you were afraid of being rejected. Maybe that's why you never tried to go back- you didn't want to find out if you were right."  
  
"What-No!"  
  
Kitty gave her a weak smile. "It's okay. I like, understand," she cast a look at the mansion. "Why else do you think I've been too afraid to see Lance?"  
  
Turning all the way, Tabitha looked at the other, uncertainty settling over her features.  
  
"I was too afraid of being rejected. First by my friends here, and then by Lance. I was too afraid to talk to him, to see if I was right. I didn't want to lose him, but I didn't know how to keep him either. I didn't want to choose between Lance and my friends. So I let myself believe that Lance broke it off, and I let myself believe that we're over, and that he doesn't care about me anymore. Rejection is one of the scariest things- did you know that? I've always been afraid of it. That's why I hated being a mutant at first. I couldn't fit in, and if anyone found out, I would be a reject. I couldn't stand that, you know? But I didn't let that get in the way of making friends, and I'm glad. I wish I had been brave enough to try to do that with Lance," Kitty looked at Tabitha, and after a moment, she put out a hand.  
  
"We have to overcome our fears, and take some risks, otherwise we'll always be alone."

* * *

"Why is this taking so long? Why aren't they telling us anything? Why isn't Lance back yet? I should've gone..." Wanda murmured. She was pacing once more, and visibly anxious. "Why isn't anyone telling us anything! There are three people in there, why can't someone come out and say something!"  
  
"It vill be all right," Kurt attempted from the side, but he could tell his words had little meaning.  
  
Neither Jean nor Rogue could find anything to say, and had a feeling nothing they could ever say would make the scarlet-clad girl feel any less tense. Fred was staring at the door to the infirmary, never moving. Unlike the extreme emotions coming off Wanda, Jean only felt numbness from him, and indeed the boy had nearly cut off the world from him, numb to everything. Jean got up and took a seat next to the bigger teen, gently putting a hand on his.  
  
"I can't wait here! It's taking too long! Why isn't anyone telling us anything! Where is Lance!"  
  
As the smaller objects around the room started to levitate, Kurt and Rogue got up, but things settled almost immediately as Wanda swerved, heading towards the chair Lance had been sitting in before.  
  
"I can't stand this, I need to know," she sighed as she fell in the seat, burying her head in her hands. "Todd... Pietro... Why did this have to happen..." despite herself, she choked, and felt her eyes getting hot.  
  
Rogue, Kurt, and Jean traded worried looks, though Jean didn't move away from Fred, before Rogue stepped towards the other goth, moving her chair closer.  
  
"They'll be all right."

* * *

"Why do you care?"  
  
"I'm not sure," he admitted. "I guess, like I said before, we know each other better than we like to admit. And we're more similar than we like to admit too."  
  
Lance let out a breath, a slight chuckle. "Maybe, Summers." Eyes still on the sea, Lance sighed. "I wish it was me."  
  
"Don't think that way."  
  
Lance only shook his head. "Don't you wonder how it is that Pietro and Todd of all people are the ones that got shot? Pietro's probably as fast as the bullets, if not faster, and Todd can nearly dodge them, with all his wall climbing and agility."  
  
Scott turned to look at the teen sitting next to him, realizing that he was right. "Well now that you say that..."  
  
"Todd took the hit for Wanda. He pushed her out of the way and got hit instead. Didn't know the little guy had it in him, to do something like that. He doesn't even like to fight. Wanda's stronger than I am," a sad smile emerged, and Lance took a handful of sand from the ground next to him, letting it trickle out of his grip slowly. "She's holding up. But if this turns worse..."  
  
"It won't, Lance."  
  
Lance took another handful of sand into his grip. "You're too optimistic, Summers. Higher expectations only lead to bigger letdowns. Or does that not happen to you X-Geeks."  
  
Scott gave him a small smile. "You're too pessimistic, Alvers."  
  
Lance shrugged indifferently. "My life's shit, I can deal with that. It's when my friends' lives are crappy that I can't deal." Brushing his hand on his vest to be rid of the sand, Lance turned his attention to the vast ocean again.  
  
"You want to know why Pietro got shot?" he let out a chuckle, but it was devoid of mirth. "He's such a damn narcissist... He's always bragging about how fast he is. But he thinks as fast as he moves, did you know that?" Lance didn't wait for an answer, and Scott knew he didn't expect one. "He figured out what was happening before any of us even knew something was going on. None of us really wanted to fight them. But I was tired of all the attacks... we went outside. And someone fired at us. I was at the front," he smiled, overcast in shadow, but almost numb to the pain now. "Pietro intercepted it."  
  
"It wasn't aimed?" Scott hadn't thought that it would ever be possible to hit the speedster without trying, and trying extremely hard at that.  
  
Lance shook his head. "No. I don't know if he was protecting me, or Wanda, or Todd, or Fred, but he did it. Maybe he did it without thinking about it," his gaze dropped, and he ran a hand through his hair, a sigh escaping him.  
  
"Lance..."  
  
"I'm the one that should have taken the hit for them, can't you see that?"  
  
"No, Lance..."  
  
Lance smirked, expression bitter yet amused in a way, as he turned to Scott.  
  
"Isn't that what a real leader does? What a real friend does?"

* * *

"Since when are you so philosophical?"  
  
Kitty gave a small smile. "I'm not, not really. It's just that I've like, had a long time to think about it."  
  
"You've got a point- it's been a while since you and Lancey met, huh?" Walking next to the brunette, Tabitha was looking around but remained attentive to the other.  
  
Kitty nodded. "It has..."  
  
"You're going to give it a chance after this, right? Take the risk, Kitty-Cat. Lancey's a good guy, you know? He's too protective sometimes, that's all. Not like you don't know about that though, with Wolverine around," Tabitha grinned.  
  
Kitty smiled. "I'm going to. I just need to talk to Lance," she paused. "...How long has... this, been going on? ...I don't know that much about Lance, not about his past in any case, now that I'm thinking about it."  
  
Tabitha hesitated, but finally spoke, reverting to seriousness. "A while. Before I met him, and before the Brotherhood, maybe. Not sure how long beyond that. Lance doesn't like to talk about himself. You know he's an orphan though, right?"  
  
"He told me before," Kitty nodded. "And that he was in foster care back in Illinois. But that's it."  
  
"Then I'm not going to tell you more. I don't know that much either, but if he hasn't told you, he obviously wants to keep it to himself, at least for now. You gotta trust him, Kit."  
  
"I do... but I'm worried about him."  
  
"So am I, but you have to wait till he's ready to tell you. He'll tell you when he feels like he can."  
  
"I know," Kitty smiled, looking at the blond with newfound respect and understanding. "Why don't you let anyone see this side of you?" she asked after a moment.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"I mean, not you crying, but like... well, you know what I mean. This side of you."  
  
Tabitha shrugged. "I don't know. Don't feel like it, most of the time. Doesn't really put me in the best mood, ya know? But the boys have seen me in these moods a couple times before, so it's not like I keep it all under wraps or something. Usually, I just don't feel like it."  
  
"What do you do when you're alone?"  
  
Tabitha raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You're never around here, always outside. But if you weren't visiting the Brotherhood, what were you doing all those times?"  
  
"Just out. Crash some parties, go clubbing... but sometimes I checked up on them. Or I just stuck to myself. Just thinking, I guess."  
  
"What did you think about?"  
  
"You're really getting into this. Want ta hear my life story or something?"  
  
Kitty smiled. "I just want to be your friend."  
  
"Well, you've already got to that, Kitty-Cat," Tabitha grinned, but she couldn't quite shake off the loneliness in her eyes. "I'll tell you more some other time."  
  
Seeing that she wasn't going to achieve anything by pushing the matter, Kitty nodded, and changed the subject.  
  
"It's kind of cold outside."  
  
"Figures; we get all the bad luck. We should head back inside... if we haven't heard from Scotty yet; he probably managed to get to Lance. It's shocking, but not altogether impossible."  
  
Unable to let go of the worry, Kitty hesitantly followed the other girl towards the doors. "What are you going to do? After all this I mean. Are you going to go back with them?"  
  
Tabitha paused. "Don't know. Don't think so. I'm not ready. But I'll think about it... maybe I'll start someplace new, you know?"  
  
"No, don't leave. I totally understand if you like, want to go back to the Brotherhood. But don't leave Bayville. I'll miss you, and we've only just gotten to really know each other."  
  
Tabitha gave the other girl a small smile at that, and though it was light, it was a hundred percent genuine.  
  
"I'll think about it, Kitty."

* * *

"Lance, you are a good leader, and a good friend."  
  
"You think?" Lance smirked wildly, looking at Scott but unfocused, before turning back to the open sea. "I always screw up. I can't not screw up. No matter what I do, I mess up everything. Until now it was okay, because it was mostly just me that was affected, but this... this..." not finishing, he sighed and put his hands around his head.  
  
Scott was really worried. Extremely so. Lance was really breaking apart, and not only had Scott never even imagined such a thing, but he didn't know how to deal with it either. But he would try.  
  
"Trust me, you're not. Give yourself more credit, you're a good person."  
  
"Oh really, Summers? Then answer this: why am I the bad guy in this picture? Or better yet, why am I the bad guy in all the pictures? If I'm such a nice guy, shouldn't I be one of the good guys too?"  
  
"Lance..."  
  
"What about us makes us bad anyhow? Because Mystique got to us before your Professor did? Luck, isn't it? Luck decides who gets to be the good guy and who gets to be bad. Then maybe I'm not a bad guy; I'm just a guy with bad luck. Is that it? Is that it?"  
  
Just as Scott was really getting to be afraid that he wasn't helping anything in the least, Lance stopped. Almost miraculously, the teen abruptly reverted to a somber state.  
  
After a sigh, he turned to look at the other eighteen year old.  
  
"Does it even matter anymore?"

* * *

"Lance? Wanda? Fred? Tabitha?"  
  
Wanda looked up at the voice, not even bothering to wipe away the tears. Moving out of the arm Rogue had put around her, she got up, looking at Charles and Ororo, who were exiting the infirmary.  
  
"How are they?"  
  
Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed that Fred had pulled out of the daze and was looking at the two X-Men as well.

* * *

"Did it ever matter?"

* * *

"How are they?"  
  
Charles gave the restless teens a reassuring nod. "They will be fine. They just need some rest."

* * *

Scott didn't know quite the way to answer that, but he didn't have time to ponder a good answer. "You matter. Your friends matter. And they're going to be fine."  
  
Lance looked at Scott, deep brown eyes clouded in sorrow but still having a skeptical edge to them. "What makes you so sure?"  
  
"You."

* * *

"They will be fine."  
  
Wanda had never, ever, heard four greater words in her entire life.  
  
Not knowing how to contain her joy, she resorted to hugging the nearest person, who happened to be Rogue. A stunned Rogue.  
  
Letting go after a second, Wanda turned back to Charles and Ororo,  
  
a rare smile on her face.  
  
"Thank you."

* * *

"Me?"  
  
"You."  
  
"Me."  
  
"You."  
  
"**Me**."  
  
"**You**. Do we have to continue this?"  
  
"Yeah, unless you plan to tell me what the hell you're talking about, Summers."  
  
Scott was actually relieved to hear Lance talk that way; it was as close to normal as they could probably get right now, and the familiarity helped get rid of some of the unsettling tension around them.  
  
"I think they'll be fine, because you're too worried for them to not be fine."  
  
Lance stared at Scott. "Summers, do you have any clue about what you just said?"  
  
"No, really. Just have a little hope."  
  
Lance looked doubtful. Very doubtful.  
  
"It won't kill you, you know," Scott attempted jokingly. "And you can do without the 'bad guy' pessimism for a minute, all right?"  
  
Lance continued to look at Scott, and for a moment no words were passed.  
  
Scott pushed off the sand, getting up.  
  
"Come on Alvers."  
  
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Lance cracked a smirk.  
  
"Summers, you're insane. But I think I'm going insane too, because you're beginning to make sense."  
  
Scott grinned back. "Hm, so are we back to our friendly insults now?"  
  
"Since when is it friendly?" Lance replied as he got up.  
  
"You're just saying that. We geeks are always on best terms with you delinquents."  
  
Lance smirked. "Making jokes now? Summers, this is a sentence I never thought I'd say, but you're crazier than Pyro."  
  
"Pyro?"  
  
"To begin with, he burns down everything in his sight, within his reach, and more. And that is just the beginning."  
  
"Oh... I guess I kind of did notice that."  
  
"Unless you're blind, you can't miss it. Even if you are blind, you probably can't miss it. Though, Shades, with your sunglasses you might be as bad."  
  
"Now who's joking around, Alvers?"  
  
"Who said I was joking?" As they neared the mansion's entrance, Lance paused, and after a brief moment of hesitation, he turned to look at Scott.  
  
"I never thought I would say this either, but I'm on a roll with doing unexpected things, so... Summers, thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it, Alvers."

* * *

"Thank you."  
  
Charles gave the girl a smile, not only seeing the happiness, but also feeling it radiate from her as well. "You are most welcome, Wanda."  
  
"...They're going to be all right," Fred echoed, the relief breaking through his numbness, slowly at first, then in a flurry of jubilation. A grin forming on his face, Fred too resorted to an embrace; only he managed to hug all of Jean, Kurt, Rogue and Wanda at the same time. "They're all right!"  
  
Ororo smiled warmly at the scene, waiting a moment before speaking. "Now why don't you get some rest? Pietro and Todd are not the only ones that need it," she suggested, just as the door opened. In came Tabitha and Kitty, followed by Logan.  
  
"Met up with them in the hall," Logan offered in explanation to the two adult X-Men. "The kids are all sleeping."  
  
"Are they going to be okay?" Tabitha interrupted, not bothering to spare even a glance and a second towards Logan, eyes intent on the two he had been talking to.  
  
"They're going to be fine, as long as they get enough rest,"  
  
"I knew it!" Tabitha exclaimed joyously. Instantly, she grabbed Kitty by the wrist, dragging her towards the other teens in the room.  
  
"They're okay!" Unexpectedly, the bomb-wielding girl too took up to joining in on the group hug, along with the pony-tailed brunette.  
  
"Whoa, what's with the hugging?"  
  
They all turned as the two leaders of the teams entered, and Kitty gave a happy cry, running over and tackling Lance with a hug. But Tabitha was faster in announcing the news.  
  
"Lance, they're going to be all right!"  
  
Lance's eyes widened in surprise, before he grinned, and wordlessly wrapped his arms around the girl, hugging her back tightly.  
  
After a moment the two parted, though Kitty didn't quite move away.  
  
"See Alvers? Optimism isn't bad. Nothing to worry about," Scott joked, receiving a good-natured roll of eyes in response.  
  
"You had no idea what you were saying back there, did you?"  
  
"It wasn't as well planned as I would have liked it, and I'm not good at impulsive acting," Scott admitted. "But it worked."  
  
"Oh shut up Summers."

* * *

"They're both sleeping now, and I think you should all get some rest as well. We've all had a rough night."  
  
"How long are they going to be asleep?" Lance looked at Hank, voicing the general question.  
  
"Through the rest of the night and into the morning, most likely," Hank answered, followed by Ororo.  
  
"The rest will give them a chance to recover. Now- Lance, Fred, and Wanda; I will show you to our guest rooms, and you can get some sleep as well. The rest of you need to go to your rooms and do the same."  
  
There was a brief moment of hesitation between the Brotherhood members as they tried to decide between getting some sleep and staying by their friends, but in the end they did not protest, and nodded, as did the X-Men teenagers.  
  
"We can find our way around," Lance spoke up, remembering most of his way around from his short stay before. Plus they had Tabitha, and well, the X-Geeks weren't too bad now.  
  
"Very well. Good night. We'll let you know when Pietro and Todd wake," Charles nodded as the Brotherhood and X-Men filed out the room, noting with curiosity that there was a distinct lack of disagreements and that the two groups seem to be on much better ground. He also sensed much different in their attitudes toward each other, which made him wonder what exactly had happened.  
  
"Since when are Boom Boom and Half-pint that close? And since when do Rocky and Slim not fight? Not to mention the other half-a-million differences around them," Logan glanced at the other three adults after the teens had left.  
  
"It seems that they've had a chance to understand each other."

* * *

"...Lance, I'm glad Summers made it to you."  
  
Lance looked across the room to Fred, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
"What're you talking about, Fred?"  
  
"You know what I'm talking about."  
  
Lance stared back for a minute, weighing the possibilities before deciding that Fred was making too firm a stand for him to be able to shake it off.  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
After a brief debate, rooming situations had been decided. Lance and Fred would take one of the guest rooms, while Wanda joined Tabitha.  
  
Fred nodded. It was a moment before he spoke again, but this time he was a little less certain. "I didn't think the X-Geeks would help us," he admitted.  
  
Lance sighed, sitting up. "...Me neither. They had no reason to. Magneto and Mystique would never have done the same thing if it had been them. Hell, Magneto and Mystique would probably be the reason... even if it had still been us, and we went to Magneto, he probably wouldn't have cared. Maybe Mystique might have, but I don't think so."  
  
Fred looked at his friend, realization crossing over his features. "...I... I think you're right. So maybe it's a good thing we didn't have them, and we came here instead."  
  
"Maybe, Freddy."

* * *

"Lance! Fred! Wake up! Come on guys!"  
  
The two aforementioned Brotherhood boys woke to shouts of morning 'greetings' and poundings on the door.  
  
"Lance! Fred!"  
  
"We're up, we're up!" Lance shouted back to the resident bomb-wielder mutant, hurriedly running to the door, followed by Fred. As it flew wide open, revealing Tabitha and Wanda.  
  
"About time," Wanda commented, standing next to the blond, arms crossed. "Xavier just told us Pietro and Toad are awake. Come on."  
  
"They are? For how long have they been awake?" Lance closed the door behind them as the four started to walk.  
  
"About five minutes," Tabitha replied. "I got the telepathic message; he didn't want to shock you or anything."  
  
"We came over right after," Wanda finished.  
  
"Did he say anything else?"  
  
"No, just to come down," Tabitha shrugged as they reached the door to the infirmary's waiting room. She swung it open, and the four rushed inside, only to be delayed by Ororo and Charles.  
  
"Good morning," Ororo smiled.  
  
"Morning," Lance replied hastily, looking at the doors to the med. lab instead of the weather witch. "Can we go in?"  
  
Charles nodded. "Yes, but one at a time. Pietro and Todd are in separate rooms; Pietro on the left, Todd on the right."  
  
"I'll go see Pietro first," Lance announced, and without waiting for any responses, stepped past the two X-Men and through the doors, turning left.  
  
"Well, Fred, would you like to see Todd first, then?" Charles looked at Fred, but the large teen shook his head, turning to Wanda. "You should go first," he declared.  
  
Wanda stared. "What?"  
  
"Wanda, you should go see Todd first."  
  
"No."  
  
"Wanda."  
  
Wanda gave Fred a patented glare, but he didn't back down. Finally, she sighed. "Fine, I'll go see Toad," she mumbled, heading in. But Fred's voice caught her just before she reached the passage.  
  
"Wanda?"  
  
She glanced back with a 'what now?' look.  
  
"I think you should tell him."  
  
"...Fred..."  
  
"You should."  
  
Wanda stared at him for a moment, but at last gave him an affirmative nod before turning down the corridor, taking the right.

* * *

Slowly Lance opened the door, suddenly uncertain about all this. Maybe he should have let Wanda talk to Pietro first. She was his sister. But...  
  
"What are you doing, standing around? Get in here, Lance."  
  
Pietro frowned as Lance stepped inside, noting the hesitation. "Come on, you have the honor of talking to me first. Be a little more enthusiastic."  
  
Lance sighed, walking over to the bed Pietro was currently occupying.  
  
"Pietro-"  
  
Pietro cut in before he could continue. "If that sentence follows through with 'I'm sorry', I will so kick your ass, I don't care if the X-Geeks want me to stay in bed."  
  
"...I'm sorry."  
  
"Lance!"  
  
"Well I am! Damn it, Pietro, this shouldn't have happened!"  
  
Arms crossed, Pietro looked at Lance, his cerulean blue eyes steady.  
  
"Lance you idiot, this wasn't your fault."  
  
"...I never said it was..."  
  
Pietro gave him a look. "I know you believe it. Fess up, I know you too well, and you suck at lying. You believe it."  
  
Averting his gaze to the floor, Lance sighed. "...Because it is."  
  
"It's not."  
  
"But I-"  
  
"You're my friend, Lance! I made the decision, not you!"  
  
"...Why?"  
  
Pietro was suddenly uncomfortable, having Lance's eyes return on him. "...I don't know."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know! I have absolutely no idea why I was stupid enough to do that, even in that split second moment."  
  
"Pietro... why'd you do it?"  
  
"I don't know! ...I just did..." Pietro trailed off, his voice decreasing in volume. "...I might as well say it. I guess because I care."  
  
Looking back up to the brunette, Pietro smirked at the slightly confused look the other teen had.  
  
"I don't know. I guess I do kind of think of you as a brother. I wasn't really thinking about it. I really suck at this," Pietro mumbled. "What I'm trying to say is, my family's completely screwed up. I realized that too late, and I couldn't fix it. The same thing happened with you guys. I realized too late that I care... I wanted to fix it this time. Just wanted to do something right, you know?"  
  
Lance stared, stunned at what he had just heard. Not because the news was shocking. But because Pietro was actually saying it. Pietro. Actually saying it.  
  
"So that's why. Now are you going to say something or are you trying to give me a hard time?"  
  
Brown eyes met blue, and Lance finally broke out into a smirk. "Pietro, you have got to find a better way of telling me this- near-death experiences really aren't the best."  
  
Pietro smirked, and waved a hand dismissively. "Oh what do you know. Drama is everything."

* * *

Wanda sighed, putting a hand on the doorknob. Well, here goes nothing... more like everything.  
  
"Wanda?"  
  
Todd seemed more than a little surprised to see the scarlet-clad teen, but in the good way. He grinned a good morning but Wanda only closed the door, silently walking over.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
The question took even Wanda off guard. "What?"  
  
"Are you all right? You didn't get hurt, did you?  
  
"...No," Upon reaching the bed, Wanda stopped, standing next to it, about half a foot away. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Okay, actually," Todd grinned, but the smile faded into a more serious expression. "I didn't think you would come first," he admitted.  
  
"I didn't either... why did you do that?"  
  
Todd blinked, looking at Wanda. "I thought you knew."  
  
Wanda shook her head. "I don't understand."  
  
Todd shrugged. "I love you."

* * *

"Back already? Aw, no tears? Come on Lancey, spill the beans. How is he?"  
  
"He's fine. Just being Pietro," Lance smirked, but turned from Tabitha, who was sitting on the sofa, to Fred, who was standing next to her. "Didn't you go in to see Todd?"  
  
"Wanda went first. I'm gonna go check in with Pietro."  
  
Lance and Tabitha nodded as Fred left, and it was only then that Lance noticed the lack of X-Men in the room. "Where'd Xavier and Storm go?'  
  
"They wanted to give us some privacy. Kinda weird, I know," Tabitha shrugged.  
  
"I'm not complaining," Lance replied as he took a seat on the couch, joining the other teen. "...So, are you going to tell me what's up with you or am I supposed to know you well enough to guess, like Pietro's doing?"  
  
"Don't act weird, Lancey," Tabitha commented.  
  
"Okay. Serious, then."  
  
"You know I don't do serious."  
  
"I know you too well for that to work."  
  
"Nah. But if you really want to know, I guess I could tell you. But first, let me state the obvious: you still like Kitty; she still likes you. You have a chance now, go for it."  
  
"Thank you Miss Grand Romantic Advisor. Stop changing the topic."  
  
"Hmph. Fine. But you'd better remember that. Truth is Lancey; I kinda missed you guys. I never had a family- you know what a jerk my 'dad' is. You guys kind of make up for that, you know? So do the X-Geeks, I guess, but they don't really get me."  
  
"...Right now, I don't either. What do you mean you missed us? I know you passed by a couple times, but you never came in."  
  
"I know. But I supposedly have some kind of issue with admitting stuff," Tabitha shrugged. "According to your Miss Pryde anyhow. The way I figure it, and she does too, by the way- but don't tell her we talked about this; I didn't want you guys to turn me down. I know I don't really care, but I do, at least when it comes to you guys. I can't deal with this rejection crap, get what I mean?"  
  
"...Sometimes," Lance cracked a grin. "No, I get it. But we wouldn't have said no."  
  
Tabitha smiled. "I hoped you wouldn't... but sometimes it's not enough to have just hope."

* * *

"...You...love me?"  
  
Todd nodded.  
  
"You... what? But...? What?"  
  
"I thought you knew," Todd stated simply.  
  
"But... why me?"  
  
Todd grinned slightly. "Because you're you."  
  
"...I don't understand."  
  
"Me neither. But they say you don't have to understand love."  
  
"But I... I hexed you!" Wanda blurted out, not knowing what else to say.  
  
Todd shrugged. "I don't mind."  
  
"But I shouted at you, and hexed you, and... why me?"  
  
"Like I said, because you're you, Wanda. I don't really know any other way to explain it... are you mad?"  
  
"N-no. But..."  
  
"You don't have to like me back or nothing..."  
  
"I like you."  
  
Wanda froze. What did she just say?  
  
Todd stared. What did she just say?  
  
"...What?"  
  
"I... I..." Ambivalent, Wanda battled the two choices, but looking at Todd and remembering Fred's words tipped the decision in the favor of the Toad. "...I like you. I don't know about love yet, but I don't hate you, I like you."

* * *

"Pietro?"  
  
"Fred? Aren't you supposed to be with Todd? You guys are best friends."  
  
"Wanda's with him."  
  
"Oh. So I get you, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, you're stuck with me. But I'm no good with this touchy-feely stuff, so I'm just going to say this and leave, all right?"  
  
Getting a quizzical nod in response, Fred continued. "You and Todd made us really worried. I mean it. But I'm really proud of you. I'm glad you're my brother."  
  
Pietro looked taken aback, not having expected this. But after a moment he smiled. Smiled, instead of donning his usual smug smirk. Just smiled.  
  
"So am I, Freddy. So am I."

* * *

"Hey Todd," Fred opened the door scarcely seconds after it had been closed by the first visitor's leave.  
  
"Hey Freddy; did you get Wanda to see me first, yo?"  
  
"Yeah. I checked in with Pietro. Did everything work out?"  
  
Todd grinned. "I owe you big. How's Quickie?"  
  
"He's fine. Being Pietro."  
  
"So basically... Pietro."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Okay. Then back to me, yo! Wanda likes me! Not hates, likes!"  
  
"I knew it; way to go, man," Fred grinned back.  
  
"Wanda likes me! Me!"  
  
Fred smiled. "You really love her, don't you, buddy?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, even if you gave us all a scare, I think you were right, doing what you did."  
  
Todd grinned. "Thanks."  
  
"Just don't do it again."  
  
"Don't plan to. Next time I'll save her without getting shot. Being shot hurts, yo!"

* * *

"...So how are you feeling?"  
  
"Considering the fact that I got shot, pretty good. How's Toad?"  
  
"He's being Toad."  
  
"So basically, he's all right," getting an affirmative nod, Pietro continued. "Listen Wanda, I need to tell you something. Getting shot kind of put things in perspective for me. Well, getting shot and the thirty seconds before getting shot."  
  
"You think too fast."  
  
"Yeah well, it comes with the territory. Aren't you going to listen to what I have to say?"  
  
"All right."  
  
"Okay... so, getting shot. Well I was kind of thinking about what's going on, and I came to the conclusion that I should apologize."  
  
Wanda stopped listening right there. Pietro? Apologize? While not impossible, it was pretty much unimaginable.  
  
"Wanda... Wanda? Wanda?"  
  
"I'm listening. Go on."  
  
"Okay... well, anyhow, I know I'm not really the best brother. And I'm connected to you by blood, for crying out loud. We were kids together, family back then too... man, I really suck at this stuff. So, what I'm saying is you matter a lot to me, even if I don't show it all the time, and I'm sorry for all the bad things I've done to you. I know you don't really get what I mean, but I want to say it anyways."  
  
Wanda blinked, not quite having understood what had been said due to the fact that Pietro's speech had increased significantly in speed from beginning to end.  
  
Pietro rolled his eyes. Not wanting to repeat the entire thing, he summarized, looking slightly embarrassed, something one does not regularly see in Pietro, if at all.  
  
"Never mind. All that matters is that I care about you, I just don't know how to show it sometimes."  
  
Wanda had not expected this. She was a little overwhelmed by all she had heard today, but finally she smiled. "...I care about you too, and I don't know how to show it sometimes either. I'd say that makes us even."  
  
Pietro smirked. "And I'd say I agree."

* * *

"Lance, your turn," Fred announced as he walked out, motioning for Lance to go in.  
  
Lance nodded, and after a last glance at Tabitha, headed for Todd.  
  
As Tabitha waved him over, Fred took a seat by her, and did not hesitate to launch the question. "Aren't you going to go see them too?"  
  
Tabitha looked at him. She had expected it, but Fred still managed to surprise her sometimes, with his incredible directness. "Nah Freddy. You know me, I'm not good at this kind of stuff."  
  
"They want to see you too."  
  
Tabitha looked at Fred, and then sighed. "You think?"

* * *

"Hey Quickie, feeling any better?"  
  
"I would if less people asked that. I got shot, what do you think?"  
  
"I think you recover too fast."  
  
"Hey, this is me we're talking about. But I didn't think you'd come to see me."  
  
"Well I was in the neighborhood."  
  
"Lance, Fred and Wanda filled me in on what happened. So what was it like, blowing up the X-Geeks' gate?"  
  
"I don't know, I wasn't paying attention to that at the time."  
  
"Too busy paying attention to me?"  
  
"That would be your ego."

* * *

"How're you doing, Todd?"  
  
"Man, everyone's asking that yo."  
  
"Well you were just shot."  
  
"Still. Wanda likes me!"  
  
Lance took a moment to recover from the sudden news. "That's great," he smiled. "So I hear you're hopelessly in love."  
  
"Hey, at least you've got company now," Todd grinned at the stare he received. "Aw come on, you and the Kitty-cat aren't over. You should ask her out again."  
  
"Since when are you giving me dating tips?"  
  
"Since Wanda told me she likes me. Besides, who says Quickie's the only one that can do it?"  
  
"I never listen to Pietro's dating tips."  
  
"You don't? I do all the time."  
  
"I rest my case."  
  
"Well, it worked. Wanda likes me!"  
  
"I think she likes you for what you did on your own, not Pietro's ideas."  
  
"Well, he helped. You should try again with Kitty."  
  
"Stop changing the subject back to this."  
  
"If you say yes, I will," Todd grinned.  
  
Lance rolled his eyes.

* * *

"Hey Froggy! I hear you got Scarlet to admit she likes you! Good for you!"  
  
"Tabby! You decided to come?"  
  
Tabitha frowned. "Am I that predictable?"  
  
"Not usually. But in this, yeah."  
  
"Good enough for me," she shrugged. "So how're you holding up? I know, I know, everyone's asking, but hey, what can you do? That's kind of what you say to someone that's been hurt."  
  
"I'm cool, yo. I can even hop and stuff; only my left arm hurts. I'll show you later... are you sticking around?"  
  
"Around where?"  
  
"Around with us."  
  
"I guess."  
  
Todd frowned at the uncertain shrug. "Hey Tabby, I just got shot, don't you think I should get some kind of wish reward?"  
  
"If you did, I wouldn't be the one you talk to," Tabitha chuckled.  
  
"I'm serious, yo."  
  
"What are you thinking of?"  
  
"Promise you'll stick around. And come back."  
  
Tabitha's expression took a sudden turn for seriousness. "What?"  
  
"Come on, Tabby. Promise."  
  
"Todd..."  
  
"Please? We miss you too."  
  
"...All right."

* * *

It had been a quick day.  
  
After talking and getting filled in on the details of what had happened during the time they were knocked out and getting medical attention, Pietro and Todd had managed to get most of the information.  
  
Now they were sitting on a bed each, in a guest room that had been slightly modified for them, and contemplating the recent of events.  
  
Finally, Todd spoke. "I guess the X-Geeks aren't that bad, yo."  
  
Pietro glanced over at the younger boy. "Yeah... for X-Geeks."  
  
Todd nodded. "So I guess it's not too bad, staying with them."  
  
Pietro paused. Charles Xavier had indeed offered them a place in the Institute, and taking into consideration their situation, the Brotherhood had finally accepted. Pietro now had less negative feelings on the X-Men after learning what had happened, and seeing some differences in Lance, Fred, Wanda and Tabitha, he had reluctantly admitted, silently to himself, that it might not be so bad. "Well, since it's only temporary."  
  
Lance seemed to be on better terms with Summers, though Pietro wasn't quite sure of all that had happened between them, because Lance refused to tell specifics, but Pietro had an idea. And the fact that Summers managed to play a strong role in keeping his best friend and older brother around did get Scott on Pietro's slightly better side. Kitty had managed to forge a friendship with Tabitha, which seemed unusual to everyone considering the fact that, if anyone, Tabitha was probably closest to Amara and Kurt out of the X-Men, but no one was bothered by it. Wanda and Rogue meanwhile had some kind of mutual respect flowing, and had actually decided to go off to have a talk after dinner. It was nice, Pietro decided, that his sister was actually socializing with people, though she did do it with them, she often got annoyed with just talking to the Brotherhood all day. She didn't fit as well into the group they had assembled, and the fact that Tabby had fit in better had kind of bothered his twin, Pietro knew. It was nice that she now had someone else to talk to as well.  
  
Pondering that, Pietro fell into slumber, noticing just before he did that Todd was sound asleep as well.

* * *

"Where are you going?"  
  
Tabitha turned away from the window at hearing the unexpected voice. "Aren't you going to ask me what I'm doing first?" she asked with her usual grin.  
  
"It seems obvious," Wanda stated, making her way to the girl after closing the door to their room. "You're leaving. I just want to know where to, and why."  
  
"Well, where: I don't know. Why: because I don't feel like staying here."  
  
"So, just as we decide to stay, you're leaving."  
  
"It's not that I don't want to live with you guys. I like it better than living with these guys, actually," Tabitha replied, referring to the X-Men on the last part. "But getting a new start doesn't sound so bad right now."  
  
"You're not the one that got shot."  
  
"No, I guess not. You're really good at interrogating, by the way. Almost as good as Badger."  
  
"I'm just stating the facts."  
  
"So you are. But while we're on the theme, I never told you the answer to your question."  
  
"My question?"  
  
Tabitha nodded. "My answer is this: I'm Brotherhood. Not X-Men. Didn't you know that?"  
  
"Not for sure."  
  
"Well first off, I don't fit the geek type; I'm a delinquent."  
  
"Rogue isn't much of a geek either."  
  
"She's an exception since she started out as one of us."  
  
"I see. Well, if you are with us, why are you leaving?"  
  
"I'm no good with the buddy buddy thing. Come on, Scarlet. You know why I'm leaving."  
  
Wanda looked at the other girl, taking a moment before answering. "I do. But your reasons are bad. You're scared of staying, but you care more about them than anyone else in your life. So why don't you do yourself a favor and get over your fear, stop running away, and stay here?"  
  
Tabitha looked at Wanda, hazel eyes searching sky blue. After a long pause, she spoke. "And I thought I was bad at this stuff. You're no good with this kind of talk either."  
  
"Answer the question."  
  
Tabitha flashed a grin. "Well, since you ask nicely. I'll stick around for a little bit longer."  
  
Wanda smirked. "Suit yourself."  
  
"As a bonus," Tabitha tossed her bag onto her bed. "I'm going to make sure you and Toddy get to go on a date within the next month."  
  
Wanda glanced back with her characteristic glare. "Don't even think about it."

* * *

Sometimes what seems bad can turn out for the better.  
  
Sometimes it's too hard to go on, but it can turn better.  
  
Sometimes there's too much hurt, but it can be better.

* * *

"I didn't expect to find you out here."

Pushing off the railing, Lance turned around, looking at Wanda with curious eyes. "Same here. What are you doing up already?"

"I haven't a clue," Wanda remarked as she took a spot next to him, leaning against the railing as well.  
  
"Nightmares?"  
  
"...Yeah. You too?"  
  
"You could say that."  
  
"Mmph."  
  
"Well Miss Maximoff, if you're not otherwise occupied, would you like to share the sunrise with me?"  
  
"Wouldn't your girlfriend be jealous?"  
  
"Nah, it's too obvious you're taken already."  
  
"Very funny," Wanda shot him a glare. "You're spending too much time with Pietro and Tabitha."  
  
"Harsh words," Lance chuckled.

* * *

There's some bad in life, but there's good too.

* * *

"So how are things between you and Kitty?"

"Great. What about you and Todd?"  
  
"He's being less disgusting. And taking three baths a month."  
  
"Amazing improvement. I salute you."

* * *

Because there's no such thing as a perfect life, and everything has two sides to it.

* * *

"How's Rogue?"

"She's okay. Pietro insists on barging in on us though."  
  
"He's not even fully healed yet and he's already back to himself. Typical Pietro. I found him teaching the new recruits pranks yesterday."  
  
"Same with Toad."

* * *

For the good you have to take the bad as well.

* * *

"Fred and Kurt are having too many Gut Bomb meetings. At this rate, they'll eat the mansion away."  
  
"That and the way Tabby and your girlfriend shop all the time."  
  
"That too. But aren't you and Rogue going along with them next time?"  
  
"Mmph. Jean too."  
  
"Ahhh."

* * *

But the good makes it all the worthwhile.

* * *

"Aren't you teaching Scott to take care of that car problem this morning?"  
  
"Not till after breakfast. You'd think a guy that actually paid attention in his physics course would know the basics."  
  
"As opposed to sleeping in all of your classes, you mean."  
  
"Not all- sometimes I skipped. Besides, I didn't sleep in chemistry."  
  
"Only because you spent that time writing notes to Kitty, despite the fact that you could have just whispered, considering the fact that you did sit right across from each other."  
  
"Kitty didn't like to miss too much of class."

* * *

There are more good things in life than may seem.

* * *

"There's the sunrise."  
  
"It's pretty nice... you think Kitty would want to see it with me tomorrow?"  
  
"Romantics."  
  
"Says the girl dating Toad."  
  
"Haha. One more joke like that and you're getting hexed."  
  
"Still, it's a nice sunrise."  
  
"It's not bad."  
  
"You think there's any way I could make this a surprise of some sort?"  
  
"Not unless you can think of a really good excuse to be up at this time."  
  
"...So no go, huh?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Well, at least I've got you around. Not that you seem very appreciative of this sunrise, but you're more of a morning person than I would've thought."  
  
"You're really spending too much time with Pietro and Tabby."  
  
"...It's a nice sunrise."  
  
"It is."

* * *

And life, though it can be hard sometimes, will not fail you as long as you have hope.  
  
Life is worth living for.

* * *


End file.
